World War I Shell Removed From Patient at French Hospital
French Hospital Evacuated After Doctors Find World War I Artillery Shell Inside Patient
A routine emergency room visit in southern France quickly turned into something straight out of a movie after doctors discovered a World War I artillery shell lodged inside a patient’s rectum, prompting a hospital evacuation and a response from bomb disposal experts.
The bizarre incident took place at Rangueil University Hospital in Toulouse, where a 24-year-old man arrived complaining of severe discomfort after reportedly inserting a large object into his rectum.
Doctors Make an Unusual Discovery
Medical staff rushed the patient into emergency surgery, expecting to remove a foreign object. Instead, they found an approximately eight-inch-long artillery shell dating back to World War I.
Because there was concern the century-old munition could still be live, hospital staff immediately contacted bomb disposal authorities.
According to reports, emergency responders established a security perimeter around the hospital while bomb technicians assessed the situation. Portions of the facility were evacuated as a precaution while specialists determined whether the shell posed any danger.
Bomb Squad Called to the Hospital
Firefighters and explosive ordnance disposal teams responded to the hospital, treating the situation as a potential explosive threat.
Fortunately, after examining the shell, experts determined it was stable enough to be safely removed and did not present an immediate risk of detonation.
The patient remained hospitalized to recover from surgery.
Authorities May Pursue Charges
French authorities have not publicly explained how the World War I shell ended up inside the patient. Some local media reports have speculated it may have been the result of a party stunt, though that has not been officially confirmed.
Prosecutors are reportedly considering whether to pursue legal action over the handling of what French law classifies as “Category A” military munitions.
A Piece of World War I History
The shell is believed to date to 1918, near the end of World War I. Similar artillery rounds were widely used by Imperial German forces along the Western Front against British and French troops.
Finding one in a museum would be unusual enough. Finding one in a hospital emergency room is another story entirely.
